Knights and trolls and eleven year olds!
by little-starling
Summary: In an effort not to draw attention, 11 year old Penelope Cash manages to do just that! Dumbledore to the rescue! AU request ficlet.


A/N: This was done as a request from someone reading my other fic, Reparo. It's a very light hearted ficlet that appealed to me so I hope you like it too. Request was to write a story of Dumbledore rescuing a first year in exactly 1000 words. Reviews are always appreciated.

Usual disclaimers apply. Don't own – don't sue.

Well it had taken longer than she thought it would – that was something at least. Two whole weeks in fact! In the fortnight first year Penelope Cash had been at Hogwarts she had managed quite well to keep her head down, remain unremarkable and unseen and avoid attention of any sort from both pupils and teachers alike. And now she was lost. After curfew...

Hogwarts was everything she could, and had imagined. It was truly a magical place in every sense of the word and Penelope, or Penny as her parents called her, had enjoyed her first two weeks here despite the homesickness and her social awkwardness. The vast castle had something new to offer every day and she, like the rest of her housemates took great enjoyment in learning all of her secrets.

It was all very different in the dark however. What was a light, warm and welcoming sight during the day was, Penny discovered, a dark, scary and cold environment by night and she was more than ready to find her way back to the comfort and safety of her tower.

Looking at her surroundings, hoping against hope that something became familiar, Penny continued forward down the silent and dimly lit corridor that she had stumbled into praying to whoever was listening that it lead to the Ravenclaw Common Room, where she should have been some forty-five minutes ago.

The heavy and elaborate tapestries that hung in this corridor rippled slightly as she passed, her entire posture tense and cowed. Despite having achieved a practically ghost like presence in the school thus far, Penny was unused to being alone. The common room was a hive of activity whether one engaged in it or not and during class times and meal times the sounds and movements of her peers were, when not directly involving her, a comfort. Now though it very easy to imagine that she were the only soul left in the entire castle.

Forcing back the urge to cry, Penny continued bravely onwards, her footfalls creating small scuffles which were swallowed by the expanse of the space around her. A suit of armour whose metal glinted in the torchlight stopped Penny in her tracks at the corner, her wide eyes taking in the chillingly human like display. Her overactive imagination imagined that there was movement beneath the shadowed visor and she stumbled back a few steps, her heart beating thickly in her chest and ears as she fought down the sudden terror.

Turning completely she fled back the way she had come, the sound of her footsteps echoing back at her from the stone walls making it sound, to the terrified eleven year old, like the possessed suit of armour had jumped plinth and was giving chase. Rounding the corner, her breath coming in panting whimpers she just had time to glimpse a look over her shoulder before she ran head first into something solid and tall. An 'oomph' of expelled air washed over Penny even as large hands descended to steady her but in the shadow of the corridor and with her thoughts in flight or fight mode the hands and shadowed body were not welcome.

"Let go!" she whimpered, her vision blurred by the tears she had been holding back for some time. She wriggled and twisted in the hold, her own shaking hands pushing against the silk front of whoever was trying to trap her.

The low burning torch at the opposite side of the wall suddenly flared white, the bright light lighting the entire corridor from one end to the other.

"Enough! Enough! Be still!"

Penelope froze at the command, her eyes screwed up against the sudden light and breathing laboured by both her struggles and her panic.

"Calm yourself my dear. No-one is going to hurt you."

Penelope looked slowly upwards, her eyes taking in the long white beard, midnight blue silk robe, half moon glasses and finally the warm and concerned blue eyes of the Headmaster.

_Oh Merlin..._

Momentarily torn between relief at being rescued and horror at being caught out past curfew by the Headmaster of all people, her mind made the decision for her and she abruptly burst into tears. Letting go of the handfuls of robe she hadn't realised she was still holding she brought both hands up to cover her face and shrunk her head into her shoulders, her body jerking slightly with her low cries.

"Ah my dear girl, do not upset yourself so! Come now, everything is fine..."

Penelope did not object when she was pulled against the Headmasters side and held there with one strong arm around her shoulders. The need to explain consumed her and she found herself attempting to speak through her hitching breathing.

"...But sir...there...and it was dark and i...didn't know where...where to go...and and the armour it..."

"Sssshhhh. Hush, it's alright. You are perfectly safe. I promise no suit of armour shall reach you my dear, I know a very excellent tickling hex that will have it wriggling on the floor till its joints rust!"

Penny giggled and brought her hands away from her warm face, pausing to swipe the back of her hand across her eyes and nose. She accepted the worn tartan handkerchief that was held under her bowed head with whispered thanks and proceeded to clean herself up. She felt quite foolish now that the panic had abated and cringed to think what the esteemed Headmaster must think of her. As though sensing her discomfort Professor Dumbledore applied pressure under her chin and forced her head up, until her reluctant and puffy eyes met the sparkly blue of the Headmasters.

"Better?" he questioned softly, his eyes searching hers. Some of Penny's apprehension faded at the look of understanding and she managed to half nod her head and smile sheepishly while her chin was still being held.

Seemingly appeased, Dumbledore smiled and dropped his hand, gesturing the way he had come.

"Then allow me the honour of accompanying you back to your room m'lady. You shall have protection from armoured knights, dragons, trolls and, most terrifying of all, Professor Snape!"

Penny giggled again and slipped her hand into the Headmasters offered elbow, feeling both relieved and safe, exactly as promised.

Later that night, as she lay in bed tired and warm, she was glad she had made her first friend at Hogwarts.


End file.
